Museveni Vows Action as Zoka Forest Faces Devastation

During a campaign visit to Adjumani District, President Yoweri Museveni was taken aback by the drastic reduction in Zoka Forest’s vegetation, noting its near disappearance from aerial view.

President Museveni questioned the local NRM chairperson, Charles Akuku, about the forest’s diminished state. Akuku explained that over 500 individuals had encroached upon the reserve, engaging in illegal activities such as charcoal burning and timber harvesting.

In response to the alarming degradation, President Museveni declared, “We are going to have war with them,” signaling a tough government stance against the perpetrators. This is not the first time the President has addressed the issue, having previously ordered illegal loggers and charcoal dealers out of the forest in 2019.

The Zoka Central Forest Reserve, a vital natural resource in the West Nile sub-region, has become a target for extensive plundering of valuable timber species like Afzellia African and Shea trees. Recently, the Adjumani District Council passed a resolution calling for immediate measures to protect and restore the reserve, including the eviction of encroachers and clear boundary demarcation.

The district’s action follows a fact-finding mission by the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, which observed widespread illegal logging, charcoal production, and farming within the reserve. The committee also noted the presence of makeshift camps and settlements, including women and children, complicating enforcement efforts.

Conservation advocates, like William Amanzuru of Friends of Zoka, have repeatedly highlighted the ongoing destruction, citing well-connected individuals and alleged military support for illegal operations. The district council’s resolutions aim to bolster current efforts to protect the forest amid growing concerns about irreversible damage.

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/museveni-stares-at-depleted-zoka-forest-5596732